Heather Lawrence OBE has been appointed as the new chair of NRC Medical Experts, the UK’s only medical expert witness chambers run by neurological rehabilitation professionals.
The high-profile appointment demonstrates NRC Medical Experts’ commitment to rigorous oversight as it continues to invest in and further develop its professional services.
Heather Lawrence OBE, who joined the medico-legal group’s Board of Directors in May 2021, is a highly experienced Chair and Senior Leader with over 40 years of experience in healthcare, including 12 years as CEO of Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, Non-Executive Director at Monitor (now NHS Improvement) and more recently as Non-Executive Chairman of the London Ambulance Service. Heather was also a Commissioner for the Prime Minister’s Commission for the Future of Nursing and Midwifery. A Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Personnel Management, Heather was awarded an OBE in the 2010 New Year Honours List.
Speaker of her appointment, Heather said; “I’m so pleased to be joining an organisation dedicated to developing the understanding of and provision for neurological rehabilitation in the UK within the medico-legal sector. The life-changing impact of neurological injuries requires expert insight for the courts and legal teams. I look forward to supporting the Executive Team to progress their ambitious growth plans.”
Founder, Dr Edmund Bonikowski, said; “I am delighted that Heather has agreed to be the Chair of NRC Medical Experts. Heather brings extensive leadership and managerial experience, and her insight will be invaluable to NRC Medical Experts. I know that Heather will have an enormous impact on the structure and accountability of our executive team, providing a key organisational overview as we continue to grow and develop. I look forward to working with her and learning from her as we build upon the success of the last six years.”
Chair of Clinical Governance, Professor Mike Barnes, said: “We are so pleased to welcome Heather to NRC Medical Experts. Heather brings clinical rigour, invaluable skills and knowledge developed over a long career working across health sector organisations, as well as a passion for improving outcomes for individuals who have experienced serious injury.”
Established in 2015 by neurological rehabilitation experts Dr Edmund Bonikowski and Professor Mike Barnes, NRC Medical Experts specialises in serious neurological injuries such as traumatic brain and spinal cord injury. The organisation’s expert witnesses provide the courts with testimony and reports for claimant and defendant solicitors in very serious injury cases.